alternative approach to scholarly writing

As human beings, we write to communicate the stories that give our lives meaning. As scholars, we write to clarify ideas, to come to new understandings, and to invite others to connect with us. We write to dig deeply into all that interests us, fascinates us, and/or disturbs us. We write to connect with others as well as to create meaning for our own lives. In this course, we will learn how to write for meaning-making. The readings will be engaging and illuminating. Utilizing Scholarly Personal Narrative (SPN), an innovative writing and research methodology created by Dr. Robert Nash, we will explore, and reflect upon, what brings you meaning in your life as a scholar, researcher, learner, and quarterlifer. Our course will be a writer’s workshop. It will be vigorous—engaging, interactive, fun, inspiring, probing, and creative. It will most definitely not be boring. This class will be taught by the co-authors of two recently published books on SPN.

will leave the class having produced an SPN manuscript you can be proud of. We will supplement our weekly seminar meetings with the latest technology (blogs, web links, and social media) to engage the class in common resources found on the web to support your writing now and in the future. Above all, however, our class will become a support community for all students who want to become writers—whether for publication, self-insight, or to produce an honors thesis or some other academic manuscript. SPN is a methodology whose time has finally come in higher education. So, be in on the ground floor.